Unison Staff Roll Up Sleeves for Community

18 April 2012 – Around thirty Unison staff shut down their computers for the day and rolled up their sleeves to give a helping hand to local community groups yesterday.

Staff from Unison started the day helping Age Concern set up for their Open Day in Flaxmere, before heading to the local Te Aranga Marae to lend a helping hand working in the community vegetable garden and doing maintenance around the property. The day was completed with a paintbrush in hand, helping to paint over graffiti around the Hastings CBD.

“Unison supports the local community through a variety of sponsorships, but this was about actually getting out there as a company and working alongside the people that make these great projects happen,” said Unison Group Chief Executive Officer Ken Sutherland.

For Henare O’Keefe of Te Aranga Marae, it was a welcome offer.

“We always need more support. For the poor and those in need, it isn’t just about giving money; it’s about giving time, and giving love. Unison has been stunning. It is a relationship built on trust; there is integrity because Unison has a social conscience.”

The initiative for a Community Day came from a Unison staff member participating in the Company’s Employee Development Programme, and the outing was used as a pilot to assess the benefit of an annual Unison community day.

“Aside from the benefit to the organisations we helped, all our staff really enjoyed the opportunity to see the good they can do for their own community,” said Mr Sutherland.

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